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Brussels vs Ghent cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ง๐ช Brussels
๐ง๐ช Ghent
At a glance
- Where Ghent is clearly cheaper: Bottled water (33%โ), Studio rent (month) (25%โ), Convenience store (18%โ)
- Where Brussels is clearly cheaper: Laundry (61%โ), Transit (30%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Ghent is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Brussels 2 vs Ghent 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Brussels | Ghent | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 19$22.1 | โฌ 18$20.9 | Ghent โ5% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 5$5.81 | โฌ 5$5.81 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 37$43 | โฌ 38$44.2 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 3.6$4.19 | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 4.8$5.58 | โฌ 5$5.81 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 11$12.8 | โฌ 10$11.6 | Ghent โ9% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 1.2$1.4 | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | Ghent โ33% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 2.2$2.56 | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | Ghent โ18% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 14$16.3 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Brussels โ7% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 9$10.5 | โฌ 10$11.6 | Brussels โ10% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 2.1$2.44 | โฌ 3$3.49 | Brussels โ30% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 15$17.4 | โฌ 15$17.4 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 120$140 | โฌ 120$140 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 1,200$1,395 | โฌ 900$1,047 | Ghent โ25% |
| Laundry | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Brussels โ61% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | โฌ 15$17.4 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 25$29.1 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 60$69.8 | โฌ 70$81.4 | Brussels โ14% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 35$40.7 | โฌ 30$34.9 | Ghent โ14% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 16$18.6 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Ghent โ6% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Brussels or Ghent?
Brussels and Ghent cost about the same. Daily budget $303 vs $305; a month $5,628 vs $5,241.
Which is easier to travel, Brussels or Ghent?
Ghent is easier: Ghent 1.6/5 vs Brussels 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Brussels and Ghent?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Brussels is about $5,628 and Ghent about $5,241 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.